"He couldn't lift his head, he couldn't blink at me, he couldn't do anything," she said.

In a matter of hours, Higginbotham said Bandit went into organ failure and not even her vet knew what was wrong.

There was just one clue.

"By his elevated liver toxins they could tell that he'd ingested some type of toxin," Higginbotham said.

Two weeks later, Higginbotham said she learned of an FDA warning about dog deaths and illnesses that may be associated with chicken jerky dog treats made in China.

She'd been feeding Bandit, as well as another dog named Cali, the treats for four days prior to Bandit getting sick. She said Cali had diarrhea, but figures she didn't get as sick because she's twice the size of Bandit.

"There was nothing new in their pet diet other than the treats," she said.

In a written statement, Nestle Purina denied the allegations, saying, "(We) believe the claims made in the suit to be without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves." The statement goes on to say, "Waggin' Train products continue to be safe to feed as directed."